Review: Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh in 2015 :: Photo courtesy of Wayne Litmer Photography

The second the Eagles bandmate, Joe Walsh, set foot on stage at PNC Pavilion on Saturday night, the crowd of 50 and 60 something-year-olds rejoiced as their favorite musician played some of his best music including some Eagles covers and a cover of “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone.

Throughout the entire show, Walsh maybe had at least 10 guitar changes and played a mix of southern rock and funk.

Almost like his fellow friend, The Boss himself Bruce Springsteen, Walsh could have easily played the entire show without stopping. Only he may have stopped two or three times throughout the entire show to engage with the audience. Although with his slurred speech it was kind of hard to make out what he was saying…probably due to the amount of partying back in the day.

Once he stopped talking and started playing, it was like his slurred speech did not even matter anymore. His guitar skills, as we all know, are like if Jimmy Page and Dave Growl had a love child…not to say that Walsh is better than the two.

With the amount of guitar changes he had during the show, the man could still (even though he is about to hit 69 in November) jam and put everything he has in to his performances.

Although, one item that was missing from the show was intensity. The stage presence kind of got a little boring at times. The videos that were being played in the background were all very similar, except for then Walsh played “Turn to Stone” where images of refugees and political candidates kept popping up on the big screen.

Walsh dedicated a few songs including one to Cincinnati because Cincinnati is one of his favorite cities and one to his Eagle’s bandmate, Glenn Fry.

As Walsh was just about to end the concert, fans cheered for an encore and Walsh came back on stage with “Rocky Mountain Way.”

Walsh will continue his tour in the U.S. until September 17 when he hits Aspen, CO.

Setlist

Walk Away (James Gang song)
Analog Man
Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
Mother Says
The Bomber: Closet Queen/Bolero/Cast Your Fate to the Wind (James Gang song)
Take It to the Limit (Eagles song)
Turn to Stone
In the City
Funk #49 (James Gang song)
Life's Been Good
Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles song)

Encore:

Rocky Mountain Way